N.R.S. 294A.287 - Limitation on contributions or commitments to make contributions; penalty
Overview of Statute
This section provides limitations on contributions to legal defense funds.
Statute
1. A person shall not make or commit to make a contribution or contributions to the legal defense fund of a candidate or public officer in an amount which exceeds $10,000 during the applicable period prescribed in NRS 294A.100 pertaining to the office the candidate is seeking or that the public officer holds.
2. A candidate or public officer shall not accept a contribution or commitment to make a contribution to his or her legal defense fund that is made in violation of subsection 1.
3. A person who willfully violates any provision of this section is guilty of a category E felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130.
(Added to NRS by 2007, 3368; A 2011, 2117)
1. Definition for Contribution
1. “Contribution” means a gift, loan, conveyance, deposit, payment, transfer or distribution of money or of anything of value other than the services of a volunteer, and includes:
(a) The payment by any person, other than a candidate, of compensation for the personal services of another person which are rendered to a:
(1) Candidate;
(2) Person who makes an independent expenditure; or
(3) Committee for political action, political party or committee sponsored by a political party which makes an expenditure for or against a candidate or group of candidates, without charge to the candidate, person, committee or political party.
(b) The value of services provided in kind for which money would have otherwise been paid, such as paid polling and resulting data, paid direct mail, paid solicitation by telephone, any paid paraphernalia that was printed or otherwise produced to promote a campaign and the use of paid personnel to assist in a campaign.
2. As used in this section, “volunteer” means a person who does not receive compensation of any kind, directly or indirectly, for the services provided to a campaign.
See Nev. Rev. Stat. § 294A.007.
2. Definition for Legal defense fund
An account established to defray attorney’s fees or other legal costs incurred by a candidate or public officer if such a candidate or public officer becomes subject to any civil, criminal or administrative claim or proceeding arising from a campaign, the electoral process or the performance of official duties.
See Nev. Rev. Stat. § 294A.0078.
3. Definition for Person
1. A natural person;
2. Any form of business or social organization;
3. Any nongovernmental legal entity, including, without limitation, a corporation, partnership, association, trust, unincorporated organization, labor union, committee for political action, political party and committee sponsored by a political party; or
4. A government, governmental agency or political subdivision of a government.
See Nev. Rev. Stat. § 294A.009.
4. Definition for Candidate
Any person:
1. Who files a declaration of candidacy;
2. Who files an acceptance of candidacy;
3. Whose name appears on an official ballot at any election; or
4. Who has received one or more contributions in excess of $100, regardless of whether:
(a) The person has filed a declaration of candidacy or an acceptance of candidacy; or
(b) The name of the person appears on an official ballot at any election.
See Nev. Rev. Stat. § 294A.005.
Additional Resources
Notes from "State of Nevada Elections 2015," published on January 1, 2016, by Barbara K. Cegavske, Nevada Secretary of State.
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Ch. 336, Stats. 2015, which amended this section, contains the following provisions not included in NRS: "Sec. 14. 1. For the purposes of NRS 294A.100, as amended by section 2 of this act: (a) A person who, on or after January 1, 2011, and on or before January 8, 2011, made or committed to make a contribution to a candidate for an office having a term of 6 years, the last preceding general election for which was in 2010, shall be deemed to have made or committed to make the contribution on December 31, 2010. (b) A candidate for an office described in paragraph (a) who, on or after January 1, 2011, and on or before January 8, 2011, accepted a contribution or a commitment to make a contribution, shall be deemed to have accepted the contribution or commitment on December 31, 2010. (c) A person who, on or after January 1, 2013, and on or before January 5, 2013, made or committed to make a contribution to a candidate for an office having a term of 4 years or more, the last preceding general election for which was in 2012, shall be deemed to have made or committed to make the contribution on December 31, 2012. (d) A candidate for an office described in paragraph (c) who, on or after January 1, 2013, and on or before January 5, 2013, accepted a contribution or a commitment to make a contribution, shall be deemed to have accepted the contribution or commitment on December 31, 2012. (e) A person who, on or after January 1, 2015, and on or before January 3, 2015, made or committed to make a contribution to a candidate for an office having a term of 2 years or more, the last preceding general election for which was in 2014, shall be deemed to have made or committed to make the contribution on December 31, 2014. (f) A candidate for an office described in paragraph (e) who, on or after January 1, 2015, and on or before January 3, 2015, accepted a contribution or a commitment to make a contribution, shall be deemed to have accepted the contribution or commitment on December 31, 2014. 2. For the purposes of NRS 294A.287, as affected by section 2 of the act: (a) A person who, on or after January 1, 2011, and on or before January 8, 2011, made or committed to make a contribution to the legal defense fund of candidate for an office having a term of 6 years or a public officer who held such an office, the last preceding general election for which was in 2010, shall be deemed to have made or committed to make the contribution on December 31, 2010. (b) A candidate for an office or a public officer who held an office described in paragraph (a), the last preceding general election for which was in 2010, and who accepted a contribution or a commitment to make a contribution to his or her legal defense fund on or after January 1, 2011, and on or before January 8, 2011, shall be deemed to have accepted the contribution or commitment on December 31, 2010. (c) A person who, on or after January 1, 2013, and on or before January 5, 2013, made or committed to make a contribution to the legal defense fund of candidate for an office having a term of 4 years or more or a public officer who held such an office, the last preceding general election for which was in 2012, shall be deemed to have made or committed to make the contribution on December 31, 2012. (d) A candidate for an office or a public officer who held an office described in paragraph (c), the last preceding general election for which was in 2012, and who accepted a contribution or a commitment to make a contribution to his or her legal defense fund on or after January 1, 2013, and on or before January 5, 2013, shall be deemed to have accepted the contribution or commitment on December 31, 2012. (e) A person who, on or after January 1, 2015, and on or before January 3, 2015, made or committed to make a contribution to the legal defense fund of candidate for an office having a term of 2 years or more or a public officer who held such an office, the last preceding general election for which was in 2014, shall be deemed to have made or committed to make the contribution on December 31, 2014. (f) A candidate for an office or a public officer who held an office described in paragraph (e), the last preceding general election for which was in 2014, and who accepted a contribution or a commitment to make a contribution to his or her legal defense fund on or after January 1, 2015, and on or before January 3, 2015, shall be deemed to have accepted the contribution or commitment on December 31, 2014. 3. Nothing in this section authorizes a person to make a contribution or commitment to make a contribution, or a candidate or public officer to accept a contribution or commitment to make a contribution, in excess of the limits set forth in NRS 294A.100 or 294A.287."